Farmers Alley Season Continues With 'The Andrews Brothers'

Director Larry Raben, who originated a lead role in the original production of the popular musical Forever Plaid, says the musical The Andrews Brothers is a close cousin, bringing popular songs of the 1940s, endearing, funny characters, and comedic antics to the stage. This is the second Farmers Alley Theatre show Raben has directed in two years, having previously led a production of Forever Plaid in the 2015-16 season.

The Andrews Brothers tells the story of three brothers stationed on a small island in the Pacific during World War II, who get involved with the production of a USO show that goes wildly off track. Paul Castree plays Max Andrews, Jeffrey Scott Parsons plays Patrick Andrews, Jeremy Koch, a founder of Farmers Alley Theatre, plays the third brother, Lawrence, and Denene Mulay Koch, his wife, plays USO performer Peggy. Raben, Catree, and Parsons joined Cara Lieurance for a preview. And yes, the famous singing Andrews Sisters are a major plot point in the show...

Performances for The Andrews Brothers will take place at the Little Theatre on Oakland Drive, beginning Friday, April 21 and continuing through May 5. For tickets and further details, visit the Farmers Alley Theatre website.

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Forever Plaid, the ever-popular musical revue of close-harmony 1950s "guy groups," premiered off-Broadway in 1990. Larry Raben originated the role of Sparky, one of four Plaids who, in the beginning of the show, perish in a bus accident on the way to their first big performance. They reunite in the afterlife to try to fulfill their unfinished dreams. Raben directed the 2015 production of Forever Plaid at Farmers Alley Theatre.

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An interview with director Larry Raben and cast members Ian Subsara and Bryan Banville.

A buzzed-about piece of musical theater from jazz pianist/composer Jeremy Siskind and playwright Adam Pasen will go before the public in a staged reading at the Little Theatre at 8 pm on April 7 and 8. Jeremy Siskind and actor/singer James Lee Richardson give listeners a sneak peek.

The Farmers Alley Theatre production of Million Dollar Quartet, which opens on December 2 at the Little Theatre, is based on the true-life story of four soon-to-be legends meeting as a group for the first time. The place was Sam Phillips' Sun Records in Memphis. The date was December 4, 1956. And the musicians were Johnny Cash, age 24; Elvis Presley, age 21, Carl Perkins, age 24, and Jerry Lee Lewis, age 21.

Producer Sam Phillips was able to get the superstar Presley, newly-minted star Cash, Rockabilly’s frontman Perkins, and a then-unknown Lewis to lay down tracks deep into the night. Million Dollar Quartet takes that premise and explores the personal stories and interactions between the four musicians, the producer, and Elvis' girlfriend. Scott Moreau, who has played the role of Johnny Cash in the national touring production over 800 times, is directing the Farmers Alley run. Kalamazoo native Nat Zegree, now living in New York, is playing Jerry Lee Lewis and music directing the show. They discuss their roles in a conversation with deputy director Rob Weiner and Cara Lieurance.